Taking the Bullet
by xXxThe Phantom's RosexXx
Summary: Sarah and Casey share a brief moment after Sarah sees the video on the USB – only Chuck/Sarah pairing.


_**Taking the Bullet**_

_**Summary: Sarah and Casey share a brief moment – only Chuck/Sarah pairing.**_

_**Author's Note: I do not own Chuck.**_

"Hey, what are you still doing here? It's late…wait a second, are you…_crying_?"

Sarah yanked the flash drive from the computer and shook her head. Quickly, she swiped at her tears. She couldn't let anyone see her cry, much less John Casey. He would never let her live it down.

"No," she snapped, "What do you want?"

"For starters I want to know why you were crying," Casey grumbled sharply. Sarah knew better than to fight him on the subject. It was easier to just let him know. Besides, he was just as headstrong as her, if not more, and she didn't feel like arguing.

"Take a guess."

"Bartowski?"

"Yeah," Sarah nodded, "He told me…he told me he…loved me."

"What a Nancy!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing, 'cept he is always wantin' to be a real spy, and yet, he broke the cardinal rule of being a spy."

"Spies don't fall in love," Sarah recited, "Especially not with their mission. Not with anyone. But why I am I telling you this? Have you ever loved someone, Casey?"

"Eh," Casey grumbled his token Casey-growl, "I figured you'd go there."

"Never mind," Sarah shook her head, "Forget I ever said it."

"Nope, Walker. Cat's out of the bag, now. I did love someone, once."

"What was her name?"

"I don't even know her real name. She was an agent, like me. We went through training together and things lead to us being a bit more than just old spy-school-friends. Well, turns out she was workin' double and was using me just as a pawn to gain information."

"Oh my God, Casey…"

"Now don't go feelin' sorry for me, Walker. I'm not askin' for sympathy. I just want you to know, that losing her was the worst pain I ever went through, and I've seen it all – been shot, tortured, and had to work with Bartwoski and his creepy little friend at some pathetic chain-store. Don't think I don't know pain, but losing her was bad, Walker. Real bad. Now, I hate that little fruit you got 'round that little finger of yours, but I know how he feels."

"Casey…"

"Shut you big mouth and listen for a sec, will ya? Why don't you go over to the apartment in the morning and try and talk with him."

"I can't face him. Not after this."

"He needs it, Walker. How many times do I have to tell you that he needs to just sit down and talk. He needs to know why you're acting like a little high-strung bitch."

"Excuse me?" Sarah flushed.

"Hey, I call 'em like I see 'em, Walker. Now then, I saw you dancin' with that idiot and wrappin' your leg around him and attempting to dance all sexy-like in front of him. Did you even see Bartowski's face? I may not like the little bastard, but I don't want him to get hurt. That's our job – to protect him. Wonderful job you're doin' there, Agent."

Sarah felt her heart sink; everything that Casey had said had been true. She had tried to hurt Chuck, just to allow him to feel her pain that he caused.

"He hurt me," Sarah admitted, "Do you even know what he did?"

Casey put his hand against the back of his neck, hating to admit that she had a point. Chuck could have really gone and screwed up, not that that was unusual. He might have really hurt her and here he was, taking the side of a squirmy little worm rather than his own partner.

"He left me," Sarah rolled her eyes, fighting back the tears, "I wanted to run and escape this whole life, make a new name for myself. Casey, I want to get married and be a mom and have a bunch of kids playing in the backyard. I want the typical life. I like that."

"You also like your job."

"I do," Sarah nodded, "but I like Chuck more. He always wanted a normal life, Casey. He never asked for this stupid intersect. I just wanted him to have that normal life…with me."

"So you asked him to run with you?"

"Yes," Sarah suddenly felt ashamed. Would Casey turn her in? He wouldn't, would he? He was her partner, he looked out for her.

"I thought of running before too."

"Really?"

"This job sucks, but I get to blow things up and shoot people so it's not too bad."

Sarah shook her head, fighting back the smile that creeped across her face, "He chose going to the training academy over me, Casey."

"You always told him he could do it, Walker. No one else believed in him like you did."

"I guess. I just thought that he would want to leave with me. But when he told me that he loved me, he said that he wanted to be a spy to protect the people he loved, me."

"Wow."

"What?"

"Who knew Bartowski could be so mushy."

"Casey!"

"Well it's true. So are you going to go and talk to him like I suggested?"

"I don't know…"

"Well do it."

"Excuse me?"

"Do it, or I will shoot you."

"You wouldn't."

"Wanna bet?" Casey asked, pulling a gun from her holster, "Try me."

"Fine, I will go talk to Chuck tomorrow."

"Good."

"Thank you, Casey."

"For what?"

"For talking to me about all of this."

"Yeah well, I am your partner, Walker. I am supposed to look out for you, have your back."

"That's really…"

"Say sweet," Casey raised his gun, aiming it right at her head, "and I shoot."

"Actually, I was going to say special."

"Sure you were," Casey smirked, "Hey Walker, you got my number, you know where I live. I'm here."

"I know."

"Always."

"I figured, I mean, you don't really have much of an outside life," Sarah smirked, Casey narrowed his eyes and let out a growl."

"Go get him tomorrow morning. Right now, I think he is a bit busy cleaning up that mess we made."

"No he's not, he's asleep and will take care of it in the morning."

"Perfect, you can help him."

"In his dreams."

"In his dreams you're helping him in a bikini and Morgan is holding cheese puffs."

Sarah rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag, and plunked the USB into it. She flashed Casey a brief smile before heading out, and swore that – for a brief moment – she saw him return the favor. It was a comfort, knowing that he would always be there when she needed him. However, it was late, and first thing tomorrow, she would have to go talk to Chuck.

Or be shot.

For a moment, she considered that taking the bullet would be a lot easier, and a lot less painful.


End file.
